December 16, 2005

James Hobert “Jamie” Church

Mr. James Hobert “Jamie” Church, 34, of John Jones Road, Elk Park, died Tuesday morning, Dec. 13, 2005, at home.

He was born in Newport News, Va.., the son of Hobert and Elsie Dudley Church.

Mr. Church was a member of Fall Creek Baptist Church and was a block mason.

In addition to his parents, he is survived by two daughters, Autumn Rebecca Rain Church and Cheyenne Summer Rain Church, both of Elk Park; one son, Brandon Gardner of Marion; three sisters, Sara Elizabeth Cooper and husband, Stephen, of Burnsville; Teresa Zinc of Vero Beach, Fla., and Amy Fritz of Michigan; two brothers, Jerry Allen Church of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. and Bryan Keith Church of Morganton.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Vickie Calhoun Church.

Services will be conducted Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Fall Creek Baptist Church. Officiating will be the Rev. Jacob Willis and the Rev. Dennis Church. Burial will follow in the Fall Creek Baptist Church Cemetery.

The family received friends Thursday evening from 6-8 p.m. at Fall Creek Baptist Church. At other times the family will be at the Church residence, 797 John Jones Road, Elk Park.

Austin & Barnes Funeral Home is serving the Church family.

Riter H. Dean

Mr. Riter H. Dean of Salem, Oregon, died Nov. 2, 2005.

He was born Feb. 5, 1922 to Arthur and Elsie Garland Dean. He grew up in the Shulls Mills community and attended Cove Creek Schools.

After high school  he joined the Army and served proudly in North Africa and Italy where he was awarded the Silver Star.

He met his wife, Lenabelle Dower at Camp Adair, Ore. and they married Oct. 17, 1948. They traveled the world with the military, and while stationed in Hawaii, adopted their son, Richard and shortly thereafter daughter, Diana, completing the family. Upon retiring in 1982 he enjoyed traveling, fishing, hunting and spending time with family and friends. After a prolonged illness on Nov. 2, 2005, while at his home with his family, he went to be with the Lord.

Survivors include his wife, Lenabelle Dean; son, Richard and wife, Olga, of Salem, Ore.; daughter, Diana and husband, Drew Upshaw of Memphis, Tenn.; sister, Mildred Weston of Boone; brothers, Edwin Isaacs of Boone and Glenn Isaacs of Granite Falls.

Graveside services were conducted Saturday morning, Nov. 5, at 10 a.m. at Belcrest Memorial Park followed at 11:30 a.m. by a memorial service at Salem First Free Methodist Church.

Contributions may be made in his name to the American Heart Association.

Arrangements were by Virgil T. Golden Funeral Service.

Elizabeth “Liz” McDonald Ehlinger

Mrs. Elizabeth “Liz” McDonald Ehlinger, 88, of 163 Shadowline Drive, Boone, died Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2005, at Watauga Medical Center.

She was a long-time resident of the Chattanooga area. She was one of the original members of the Saint Jude Catholic Church. Mrs. Ehlinger was a member of the Ladies of Charity and a long-time “Pink Lady” at Memorial and  Erlanger Hospitals.

Survivors include two sons, Brother Harold Ehlinger C.S.C. of New Orleans, La. and George Ehlinger and wife, Kay, of Seven Devils; one daughter, Helen Smith and husband, Peter, of Winston-Salem; one grandson, Mark Ehlinger and wife, Terri, of Wake Forest; one granddaughter, JoAnn Ehlinger of Winston-Salem; and one great-grandson, Gregory Ehlinger of Wake Forest.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bernard “Bernie” Ehlinger; and her father and mother, Homer and Maude Hoke McDonald.

A Funeral Mass will be conducted Saturday morning at 11:30 at the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home. Officiating will be Father Joe Brando. Burial will follow in the Mount Olivet Cemetery.

The family will receive friends Saturday morning from 9:30-11:30 at the funeral home, prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, Cancer Association, or to a charity of the donor’s choice.

North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home in Chattanooga, Tenn. is in charge of the arrangements.

Herman Clay Tester

 Mr. Herman Clay Tester, 69, of Lenoir, N.C., passed away Monday, Dec. 12, 2005, at Caldwell County Hospice.

He was born May 1, 1936 in Watauga County to the late Henry Clay Tester and Vertie Alice Warren.

Mr. Tester was a member of Joyceton Baptist Church, and was employed as a truck driver for a furniture factory.  Mr. Tester was also a veteran of the Navy.

Survivors include his wife of 47 years, Myrtle McLean Tester; a daughter, Barbara “Bobbi” Tester Jenkins and her husband, Mark, of Lenoir, N.C.; four brothers, Lowell Tester and wife, Beulah, of Granite Falls, N.C., Freddy Tester and wife, Janice, of Wisconsin; three sisters, Lavonda Hicks of Sugar Grove, Glenda Woodring and husband, Larry, of Boone, and Judy Tester of Lenoir, N.C.; and a beloved brother-in-law, Dale Crepps; two grandchildren, Daniel and wife, Christy, and Mark Jenkins II; and two great-grandchildren, Daniel and Courtney Tester.  

He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Vertie Tester; a sister, Janice Crepps; and two brothers, Dale and Rick Tester.

Services were conducted Thursday afternoon at Joyceton Baptist Church at 1:00 p.m. with the Rev. Edgar Ford, the Rev.  Gary Moretz, and the Rev. Jim Whisnant officiating.  Burial followed at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Caldwell County Hospice & Palliative Care at  902 Kirkwood St. NW,  Lenoir, N.C.  28645.

Condolences may be placed online at www.pendrysfuneralhome.com

Pendry’s Funeral Home & Crematory were in charge of the arrangements.

Claudine Rupard Trivette

Ms. Claudine Rupard Trivette, 68, of Life Care Center, Banner Elk, died Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2005, at Life Care Center.

She was born March 14, 1937, a daughter of the late Carl James Rupard. She was a retired waitress and a member of Bibleway Baptist Church.

Survivors include four sons, Rev. Kenneth D. Trivette and wife, Sherry, of Chattanooga, Tenn.; James E. Trivette and wife, Sue, of Sparta, Tenn.; Robert W. Trivette and wife, Kathy, of Nashville, Tenn.; and Tony L. Trivette and wife, Pam, of Spruce Pine; her mother, Mrs. Louise Shook Rupard of Boone; three sisters, Ms. Norma Jean Phillips of Boone, JoAnn Sanders and husband, Larry, and Shelby Mitchell and husband, Greer, all of Zionville; three brothers, Dayton Rupard and wife, Judy, and Dale Rupard and wife, Della, all of Elk Park; and Larry Ruppard and wife, Gail, of Boone. Nine grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews also survive.

In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by one sister, Ernestine Hollars.

Services will be conducted Friday afternoon, Dec. 16, at 1 p.m. at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel. Officiating will be the Rev. Ken Price. Burial will follow in the White Rock Baptist Church Cemetery.

The family will receive friends Thursday evening from 7 until 9 at the funeral home.

Flowers are appreciated or memorial contributions may be made to Gideons International, Boone Camp, P.O. Box 3602, Boone, N.C. 28607.

Hampton Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Alice Dornan Walker

Mrs. Alice Dornan Walker, 82, of 860 Bluestone Wild Road, Valle Crucis, died Monday, Dec. 12, 2005, at home.

She was born Feb. 27, 1923, a daughter of the late Lloyd and Rena Mae Ridlington Dornan.

Mrs. Walker was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg, Ill., and was a retired real estate broker in Harrisburg.

Survivors include one daughter, Vicki Lamb and husband, Tim, of Valle Crucis; one grandson, Jason Waid Miller of Blowing Rock; one great-granddaughter, Ella Grace Miller of Boone; one sister, Donna Doty of Fort Meyers, Fla. and Charlevoix, Mich.; and one brother, Lloyd Dornan of Fort Meyers, Fla.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Hugh Walker.

Memorial services were conducted Wednesday evening at 6 p.m., at Faithbridge United Methodist Church with the Rev. Marianne Romanat officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Hills Cemetery in Harrisburg, Ill.

Memorial contributions may be made to Faithbridge United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 2308, Blowing Rock, N.C. 28605.

Hampton Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Audie Ford Wills, Jr.

Mr. Audie Ford Wills, Jr., 46, died Monday, Dec. 12, 2005.

Survivors include his parents, Audie F. Wills, Sr. and Linda K. Wills; a brother, Jeff Wills of Boone, N.C.; sisters, Julie Byrum, Shelly Rydell, Kimberly Conger and Scarlet Sebastian.

No visitation or services are scheduled for Mr. Wills.

Cole & Garrett Funeral Home in Hendersonville, Tenn., are in charge of the arrangements.

December 14, 2005

Helen Shade Drummond

Mrs. Helen Shade Drummond of Glenbridge Nursing Center, died Dec. 12, 2005 at age 99.

She was born in Ashton, Illinois, to Faye and William Schade and was a graduate of National College of Education where she did student teaching at the well known Hull House directed by Jane Adams. 

Mrs. Drummond was a kindergarten teacher in the Hazel Park, Michigan school system from 1925-1928 and a girl scout leader for eleven years in Greenville, Ohio and Ashton, Illinois.  She was a charter member of the Sun City, Arizona Unitarian-Universalist Church and received special recognition for thirty years of service to the Arizona Humane Society.

Surviving are one daughter and son-in-law, Trudy and Glenn Muegel of Boone, N.C.  Also surviving are three granddaughters, Dr. Linda Muegel of Rock Hill, S.C., Lisa Hammond and husband, Richard H. Hammond, III, of Charlotte, N.C., and Laura Sippel and husband, Jon Sippel, of Plano, Texas.   Mrs. Drummond had three great-grandchildren, Lindsay Hammond, Evan and Daniel Sippel.

She was preceded in death by her husband, E. M. Drummond, in 1966. 

A memorial service will be held at a later date in Ashton, Illinois.

Austin & Barnes Funeral Home is serving the Drummond family.

Thelma Mae Gough Simmons

Mrs. Thelma Mae Gough Simmons passed away Monday Dec. 12, 2005 at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem. 

She was born Jan. 27, 1914 in Yadkin County to the late Calvin A. and Martha Ellen Chamberlain Gough. 

Mrs. Simmons was a homemaker, a loving, caring, and providing mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.  She enjoyed her gardening, flowers, needlework, and sewing for her family.  Mrs. Simmons was the oldest member of Harmony  Grove Friends Church. 

Surviving are her daughters, Carolyn Smitherman and husband, Tom, of East Bend; Janice Carroll and husband, Larry, of Boone; Martha Jessup and husband, Dennis, of Lewisville; and Susan Simmons of the home; grandchildren, Diane Smitherman; Dina Hamad of Apex; Denise Peoples and husband, Scott, of Cary; LeAnne Hilderbran and husband, Mark, of Burlington; Larry Gene Carroll and wife, Maegan,   of Boone; Brian Jessup of Winston-Salem; Christopher Jessup and wife, Amber, of Boone; great-grandchildren, Abby Peoples, Ellie Peoples, Brianna Jessup, Ella Carroll, Bryant Carroll, and numerous nieces and nephews. 

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, LeRoy Simmons; brothers and sisters, Stannie Caudle, Laura Cain, Eugene Gough, Pearl Swink, Claude Gough, Leroy Gough, Edith Renegar, and Dewell Gough. 

Funeral services were held Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. at Harmony  Grove Friends  Church, conducted by the Rev. Chris Flanagan and the Rev. Lynn Faw.  Burial followed in the church cemetery. 

Memorials may be made to the Harmony Grove  Friends Church, P.O. Box 546, Yadkinville, N.C.  27055.

December 12, 2005

Donna Jane Clark

Donna Jane Clark, 46, passed away on her way to work in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday morning, Dec. 6, 2005, from a sudden pulmonary embolism.

Donna Jane was the beloved middle child of Dr. Donald L. Clark and M. Sue Clark of Boone.

She attended elementary school in Boone as well as in Tegucigalpa, Honduras where her parents served in the Peace Corps. She attended the American Nicaraguan School in Managua, Nicaragua for one year and then graduated from Watauga High School. For college, she attended UNC Chapel Hill and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Appalachian State University with a BA in Psychology and later received her Masters Degree in Psychology at ASU.

Donna Jane worked as a recruiter in the ASU Admissions Office as well as directed the Substance Abuse Education program. As a student, she also worked at Daniel Boone Inn. In Nashville she was employed in human services.

She is survived by her parents, Dr. and Mrs. Clark; a sister, Rebecca Anne Clark of Nashville, Tenn.; and two brothers, Michael William Clark of Orlando, Fla. and the Rev. Edward A. Taylor of Greensboro, N.C.

A funeral service with Holy Communion will be held in the small chapel beside St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Thursday, Dec. 15 at 11:00 o’clock. Visitation with the family will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in the chapel prior to the service. A private commital will be at a later date. No flowers nor donations.

Fred “Junior” Council Price, Jr.

Mr. Fred “Junior” Council Price, Jr., 35, of Conover, died Dec. 5, 2005, in Santa Maria, Calif.

He was born Dec. 23, 1969, in Caldwell County, to the late Dorothy Louise Hancock Price and Fred Council Price, Sr.

Mr. Price was employed with D & T Rolling.

Survivors include his wife, Renee Michelle Price of Black Mountain; his father and mother-in-law, David and Theresa Lyda of Conover; two brothers, Jeff Price and James Price, both of Rhodhiss; and a number of nieces and nephews.

A memorial service was conducted Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Bass-Smith Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Kenny Niewulis and Pastor Lewis Grant officiating.

Bass-Smith Funeral Home is serving the Price family.

Minnie Uritch

Minnie Uritch, 96, of Milton Brown Heirs Road, Boone, died Friday afternoon, Dec. 9, 2005 at the Glenbridge Health and Rehabilitation in Boone.

She was born Sept. 12, 1909 in New York City, a daughter of Anton and Bertha Uritch. 

Miss Uritch was a retired secretary for Cons Edison Power Company in New York.  She was of the Catholic faith.

Survivors include three nephews, George Becker and his wife, Barbara, of Long Island, New York, Warren Becker and his wife, Pauline, and Robert Forrester and his wife, Arline, all of Florida. 

She was preceded in death by two sisters, Anna Becker and Bertha Forrester; and one brother.

Memorial services will be private.  Entombment will be at the Mount Lawn Memorial Park & Gardens Mausoleum.

Austin & Barnes Funeral Home is serving the Uritch family.